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気をそぐ (きをそぐ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

気きをそぐ

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-gu)

dampen one's spirit; discourage; dishearten

Used when something reduces a person's enthusiasm, motivation, or will to do something. Often appears as 気をそがれる (passive).

彼かれの一ひと言ことで気きをそがれた。
His remark dampened my spirits.
雨あめのせいで出でかける気きをそが

れ

た

。

The rain discouraged me from going out.

Written forms

気きをそぐ
Standard kana-mixed spelling; the verb そぐ is often written in kana in this expression.
気きを削そぐ
Kanji spelling using 削ぐ (to chip away, reduce); less common but still used.

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
削plane, sharpen, whittle

Similar words

やる気きをなくす
More direct and casual way to say 'lose motivation'; 気をそぐ is slightly more literary and often implies an external cause.
意い気き消しょう沈ちん
A four-character compound meaning 'dejection' or 'depression of spirits'; stronger and more formal than 気をそぐ.

Etymology

Combination of 気 (spirit, mood) and そぐ (to chip off, reduce). The verb そぐ originally means to slice or shave off, metaphorically extended to reducing intangible things like enthusiasm.